Who Was The Best Actor on Voyager?
- Thread starter Fedor
- Start date
Kate Mulgrew definitely stands out in my book. Her portrayal in "Year of Hell" really nailed it for me. I would follow her to hell (or the Delta Quadrant) and back again. She just seemed to make her role larger than life. Behind Picard, Janeway was my favorite captain. When she was empathetic as a mother figure, I felt that she loved her crew (see the end of "Emanations" or her anguish in "Prime Factors") or her anger and drive ("Equinox" and "Scorpion") which made me fear her. Her only failing was the comedy. She didn't work well with funny. Which was fine, because I didn't enjoy watching Voyager be funny.
Although behind her, and this is bound to be an unpopular choice, I pick Ethan Phillips. His role as Neelix grated on me in season one. But by season four, he was the Guinan of the series. The way he counseled both Janeway and Torres and how h went toe-to-toe with Tuvok to stand up for himself was awesome to watch. And all he wanted was approval and love. And I think there is a little of that in everyone.
Although behind her, and this is bound to be an unpopular choice, I pick Ethan Phillips. His role as Neelix grated on me in season one. But by season four, he was the Guinan of the series. The way he counseled both Janeway and Torres and how h went toe-to-toe with Tuvok to stand up for himself was awesome to watch. And all he wanted was approval and love. And I think there is a little of that in everyone.
1. I think Kate Mulgrew was really, really good. She brought more emotion and strength to the series than anybody else by far. I'm not saying she was 100 percent spot on all the time but when she got it right there was no one on that show to equal her.
2. Then I'd say Jeri Ryan; she was very consistent and had a number of stand out moments. The character she played constrained her a little but on the few occasions she was allowed to break out of that stiff persona, she shone.
3. Robert Picardo was usually good and it helps that he got to do a lot character-wise. I think he was probably the best comedy actor of the cast.
4. I put Roxann Dawson fourth because she can be excellent but then at other times she can tend to underplay/overplay. Still overall very good.
5. Tim Russ. I'd love to put him higher but I just didn't see enough of what he could do in the show. Not his fault of course. He played Tuvok really well. I've never seen him act in anything else but I always get the impression from watching Voyager that he could have been brilliant, if only given the chance.
6. I place Ethan Phillips here because he's the hardest actor to judge. Neelix is just so.... well, Neelix. I think early on he plays Neelix a little too forceful/creepy at certain moments and then later on tends to fall back on the 'jolly old morale officer' persona a lttle too frequently. Then again, a poorer actor could have made Neelix unbearable.
7. Robert Duncan McNeill was fine. He was rarely excellent but also rarely really bad. Quite non-descript actually.
8. Jennifer Lien had the capacity to be good when she wanted to be, but all too often fell back on a samey performance. She was also a victim of the writers though.
9. Robert Beltran had a few good moments. But he threw away any goodwill I may have felt about him by his laziness in the later seasons. He is a better actor than Wang but I feel annoyed at having to place him higher because at least Garrett seemed to try.
10. I place Garrett Wang last. He was unimpressive most of the time, downright awful at others and inbetween times just plain boring.
2. Then I'd say Jeri Ryan; she was very consistent and had a number of stand out moments. The character she played constrained her a little but on the few occasions she was allowed to break out of that stiff persona, she shone.
3. Robert Picardo was usually good and it helps that he got to do a lot character-wise. I think he was probably the best comedy actor of the cast.
4. I put Roxann Dawson fourth because she can be excellent but then at other times she can tend to underplay/overplay. Still overall very good.
5. Tim Russ. I'd love to put him higher but I just didn't see enough of what he could do in the show. Not his fault of course. He played Tuvok really well. I've never seen him act in anything else but I always get the impression from watching Voyager that he could have been brilliant, if only given the chance.
6. I place Ethan Phillips here because he's the hardest actor to judge. Neelix is just so.... well, Neelix. I think early on he plays Neelix a little too forceful/creepy at certain moments and then later on tends to fall back on the 'jolly old morale officer' persona a lttle too frequently. Then again, a poorer actor could have made Neelix unbearable.
7. Robert Duncan McNeill was fine. He was rarely excellent but also rarely really bad. Quite non-descript actually.
8. Jennifer Lien had the capacity to be good when she wanted to be, but all too often fell back on a samey performance. She was also a victim of the writers though.
9. Robert Beltran had a few good moments. But he threw away any goodwill I may have felt about him by his laziness in the later seasons. He is a better actor than Wang but I feel annoyed at having to place him higher because at least Garrett seemed to try.
10. I place Garrett Wang last. He was unimpressive most of the time, downright awful at others and inbetween times just plain boring.
